


Life is made up of moments

by Weisse_Rose



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s05e11 Swan Song, F/M, Fix-It, Hurt/Comfort, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 06:13:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5857264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weisse_Rose/pseuds/Weisse_Rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He dropped to his knees and she went with him, her arms around him. They fell to the ground together, Emma cradling his head in her hands, sobbing.</p><p>Out of nowhere, there was another flash of blindingly white light. Killian gasped, opening his eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life is made up of moments

_I might not be able to kill you, but I can stop you from interfering._

Emma gasped. It felt like a hand was closing around her throat, making it impossible to breathe. She panicked, looking up at Killian in pain. She watched as the expression on his face slowly changed, the mask of indifference falling from his features, to be replaced with resolve.

 _That's enough!_

His voice was thick with emotion.

_What do you think you're doing?_

_Being the man I want to be._

There was determination in his words, and an undeniable threat.

_You can't stop us._

_Yes, I can._

He lifted Excalibur and thick tendrils of dark smoke wisped up from the cloaked figures around them, drawn into the sword. The shapes of the dark ones started to dissolve. The sword glowed and vibrated with unreleased energy, shaking his hand.

_Killian, you can't do this._

Emma's voice was barely recognizable, filled with pain and despair. 

_We both know there's no other way, love. We have to hurry. The darkness won't stay trapped in Excalibur much longer. Take it._

He turned around to face her while he spoke.

_No!_

There was a panicky note to her voice that broke his heart, but there was no other path, no way he could spare her from what had to happen next.

_You have to help me, Swan. Take it._

He clenched his teeth, barely controlling the darkness trying to break free of the sword.

_I can't. It should be me._

Her eyes were wide open in fear, begging him not to make her do this.

_Your family needs you. If anyone deserves to go to the underworld, it's me. You were right. I was weak. So let me make up for it now by being strong._

There was a pleading in his eyes, but she could not make herself take the sword from him yet. Tears were streaming down her face.

_I don't want to lose you._

I _can't_ loose you.

_And I don't want to lose you. But you have to let me go. Let me die a hero. That's the man I want you to remember, please._

He was begging her, his voice trembling. She moved slowly, as if trapped in a nightmare, and took the sword from his hand.

_I love you._

Her hand went to his hair and she kissed him, short but deeply.

_I love you, too._

She looked at him, asking a silent question. He nodded.

_It's okay._

Emma steeled herself. The tears were running freely now. Their eyes locked. Killian clenched his teeth, preparing himself for what was about to happen.

She stepped forward quickly, running him through with the sword. He let out a short yell of pain. Emma gave the sword a last push, burying it to the hilt. She embraced Killian, sobbing. His eyes closed slowly, his hand moving to touch her face. She pulled back to lean her forehead against his. His breathing was coming in short gasps.

Suddenly, Emma was enveloped in a bright white glow. When it disappeared again, she was herself once more, the darkness expelled from her body. She grabbed onto the lapel of his coat, crying. Then she stepped back, taking the sword with her. It turned to ash in her hand.

She stepped forward again, embracing Killian. His hand came up to reach for her, but his movements were slow and uncoordinated. He dropped to his knees and she went with him, her arms around him. They fell to the ground together, Emma cradling his head in her hands, sobbing.

Out of nowhere, there was another flash of blindingly white light. Killian gasped, opening his eyes. 

Gold felt a sharp pain in his neck and let out a surprised gasp. He moved his hand to the spot and it came back tainted with blood.

"I don't understand", he murmured, dropping to his knees. "That shouldn't have happened." He looked at the smear of blood on his hand in utter confusion. Nobody was paying him any mind, they were all focussed on the scene playing out before them. His hand went to his throat again, trying in vain to stop whatever it was that was happening to him. His vision went dark and he lost consciousness.

Emma stared at Killian unbelievingly, her eyes wide. He stared back at her with wonder in his eyes, then sat up slowly. His hand went to the spot where he had been run through with a sword not seconds ago. He felt no trace of the wound.

The look of despair and confusion on Emma's face slowly transformed into a hopeful expression and it was beautiful to watch. She drew him against her, her hands fisting in the back of his coat, her head burying itself in the crook of his shoulder. She started sobbing uncontrollably. He moved his hand, in order to draw it through her hair in small soothing movements.

His voice was very quiet, barely more than a whisper. "Shh, love. I don't know how, but I'm still here, I'm fine. It's okay."

* * *

They moved to Granny's to get out of the cold. Regina had been the first to discover Gold's crumbled form on the ground. There was nothing they could do for him. Killian quite vividly remembered the crocodile being lifted on the stretcher and covered with a blanket. He imagined if it had been him lying there instead and shuddered.

Emma was sitting in his lap, one arm drawn around him, the other in front, her hand holding on tightly to the lapel of his jacket. He realized that she hadn't physically let go of him for a single second since they embraced for what they thought would be the last time. He quietly murmured soothing words into her hair, slowly stroking his hand up and down her back, trying to calm her. He had never before seen her this vulnerable and the fact that she allowed herself to be seen like this by the others told him a lot about her current state.

It was Regina who broke the silence first. "What the hell happened just now?"

Nobody answered. Killian slowly shook his head.

"I have no idea. I should be dead and in the Underworld."

He felt Emma tense and silently cursed his carelessness. 

Regina looked thoughtful. "Gold had a cut on his neck. It was in the exact same spot where Arthur nicked you with Excalibur."

Killian's hand instinctively went to his throat, but the skin was unbroken.

"I think _nicked_ is not the word you're looking for." David piped up tensely.

Killian let out a breath. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything I did. I wasn't strong enough to withstand the darkness. Please forgive me." The last words were whispered, only meant for Emma. She lifted her head from where it had been resting against his shoulder. 

Her voice was weak, showing the toll the last hour had taken on her. "It was my fault. I was selfish. I couldn't let you go. I should never have put this burden on you."

Mary Margaret cleared her throat. "The important thing is that it all turned out fine in the end and nobody got hurt. Well, except Gold."

Killian looked at the floor, unable to meet her eyes. "I killed Merlin."

Emma turned his head so that he was facing her again. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't you."

She smiled at him. It was weak, but there was so much love in her eyes that his breath caught in his throat.

David spoke up, "Let's go home and get some rest. It has been a long night." He was obviously asking everybody to clear out to give Emma and Killian some space.

"Shouldn't we try to figure out what happened to Gold?" Regina asked. 

David narrowed his eyes, then shook his head. "I think that mystery can wait until tomorrow."

Regina nodded, then walked up to Henry. "Would you like to spend the night in your old room?"

He looked over at Emma, who smiled back at him and nodded.

"Sure, mom."

Regina, Robin and Henry left the diner. Mary Margaret looked like she wanted to approach Emma, but David drew his arm around her and slowly led her out the door.

Emma shuddered and let out a deep breath. Killian continued to stroke his hand in soothing circles over her back.

"I thought I'd lost you." He could barely make out the words, her voice was so quiet.

"I told you, Swan, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a survivor." He tried to lighten the mood, but he could her the strain in his words himself.

"I'm so sorry I ... " 

"No more apologies", he interrupted her, leaning his forehead against hers.

Emma shuddered again, then finally relaxed against him, letting a deep breath.

"You know, I would have come for you", she murmured.

"Hmm?", he said, lost in her closeness and her smell and the fact that he was still alive to enjoy all of these things.

She pulled back a little and opened her eyes. "I would have come for you. I would have followed you to the Underworld and torn the place apart until I found you and then I would have dragged you back up here." 

There was such fierce conviction in her voice that he did not doubt a single word of it. He stared at her in shock.

"You would have gone to the Underworld for me?"

"Of course. I love you." 

He looked at her with such devotion and longing then that her heart started thundering in her chest. 

"Besides, I'm the saviour, it's what I do", she said, trying to break the emotional mood. He gave a short bark of laughter that was more relief than merriment.

"I'm sure Hades is thanking whatever deity granted me this second chance right about now. We both know you would have raised all kinds of hell in the Underworld."

She smiled at him. "Look at you, referencing Greek mythology."

He put an expression of mock affront on his face. "I _can_ read, you know."

Emma's smile broadened. "I missed this."

He looked at her and smiled back happily. His heart felt light. It was a strange, unfamiliar sensation. "Me too."

His hand went up to stroke her cheek and he captured her lips in a slow, passionate kiss. He silently thanked the Gods for this chance, for this life and fervently vowed not to mess it up this time. He would be the man he wanted to be. A man who was worthy to love Emma Swan and be loved by her.

**Author's Note:**

> And they lived happily ever after.


End file.
